Tag Archives: Police

In a case of mistaken identity, Metro Transit Police handcuffed and questioned a D.C. teacher in front of her students for a crime the students did not commit.

Brandi Byrd took 15 history students from Dunbar High School to the Holocaust Museum. After getting off a train at Mount Vernon Square on their way back to school, the students were shocked to see their teacher pushed against a wall.

“I’m like, ‘That’s a woman. Why are you being so aggressive with her?'” Carlton Green said.

Byrd couldn’t believe it either. “I’ve never been held against my will anywhere,” she said.

Metro police said they were responding to a report of an assault, and the students matched the description.

“I told him. I identified who I was,” Byrd said. “‘I’m a teacher. These are my students. We’re returning from a field trip.'”

But police held her for 20 minutes, and students recorded the incident on their cellphones.

“At no point did the gentleman who put me in handcuffs tell me why I was in handcuffs,” she said.

He only said she was being detained because of an active investigation, Byrd said.

Byrd became agitated and disorderly while police tried to figure out who the kids were, Metro officials said, but Byrd denied being any kind of threat and said police went too far by putting her in cuffs.

Police let the group go when they figured out it was not the group they wanted.

Byrd feels violated and said it still hurts where the metal handcuffs were clamped around her wrists.

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An accused “cell phone flasher” has been arrested by Metro Transit Police in connection with several recent incidents on the Metrorail system.

Metro Transit Police today announced new charges against Steven Andrew Slaughter, 22, of Washington, DC, for alleged lewd acts and an assault that occurred in January.

Starting in mid-January, Metro Transit Police detectives became aware of a series of incidents in which a male subject would approach female passengers on the Metrorail system and show them a lewd photograph of himself on his cell phone screen. In some cases, the suspect would approach victims claiming that he was raising money for a youth organization.

Slaughter was identified using Metro’s high-definition video surveillance footage, as well as witness statements and reports.

At the time of the incidents, between January 14 and 23, Slaughter was on pre-trial release for a several cases in DC Superior Court, including a charge of lewd, indecent or obscene act for masturbating aboard a Red Line train, and a second charge of simple assault from an alleged incident at Woodley Park Station in which he lifted a woman’s skirt.

The judge in the prior cases ordered Slaughter to stay off Metro, except for travel to court or case-related activity.

On January 24, Slaughter pled guilty to the earlier charges. On February 7, he was sentenced to one year of supervised probation.

In the recent cases, Slaughter is charged with two counts of contempt because the alleged incidents took place while the “stay away” order was in effect. In addition, he is charged with one new count of simple assault for allegedly spitting on a Good Samaritan who attempted to intervene when a victim was being harassed aboard a Red Line train.

“This case shows a clear pattern of disturbing and unacceptable behavior,” said Metro Transit Police Chief Ron Pavlik. “Sexual harassment, inappropriate touching and lewd behavior have absolutely no place on Metro, and we will use all tools at our disposal to arrest those who commit such acts.”

Metro Transit Police offers several ways for riders to report harassment or sexually inappropriate activity. An online web form – wmata.com/harassment – sends important information to Metro Transit Police detectives. In addition, riders can contact Metro Transit Police 24 hours a day via text message to MyMTPD (696873) or by calling (202) 962-2121. Victims can remain anonymous if they wish.

In addition, Transit Police remind all passengers that solicitation of donations is illegal on Metro. Most reputable organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Club, do not use so-called “on-foot” peddlers.

Slaughter is being held pending a detention hearing scheduled for Friday, February 14 at 9 a.m.